Brake shoe



July 15, 1924. 1,501,359

H. W.- MUHLEISEN BRAKE SHOE Filed Feb. 9, 1922 #5N/jy /1/ MM45/55N.

30 and scope of such claims l vto Fig, 4 is a fragmentary Patented July 15,1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

HENRY W. MUHLEISN, O'F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA., ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T W. S. RUSH & C0., 0F LOS ANGELIS, CALIFORNIA, A PARTNERSHIP CONSISTING 0F W. S. RUSH, E. S. RUSH, AND B. C. GRAVES.

Application illed February 9,1922. Serial No. 535,187.

. To all whom tmayco'iwem:

Be it known that I, HENRY W. MUHnEI- SEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles f and State of California, have invented new and useful vImprovements in Brake Shoes, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to vehicle brakes of that type -including internal brake shoes capable of being expanded for engagement with -a brake drum, and a purpose of my invention is the provision of a brake of this character having shoes of simple, inexpensive and durable construction, and ex- A panding means therefor operable from a point `exteriorly ofthe brake and inwardly of the drum, the construction of such means ermitting of a greater degree of expansi Eility of the shoes within a given range of adjustment, providing holding means for the shoes in any expanded.

ing of the ready manipu ation thereof without undue wear or friction.

Although I will describe only one form ,L25v of vehicle brake embodying my invention and point out the novel features thereof in claims, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made `herein without departing v-from the spirit e --1' is a view showin inhorizontal section one formof vehic e brake em- .bodying lmy invention ing applied position upon a'v'ehicle.`

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken .on the .line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fi 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sec- Figur 'tiona view taken substantial on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

view showing in i side elevationtlie adjusting means for 'the brake shoes. Fig. 5 is a. sectional viewtaken on `the linewoflig.v Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the 'severalviews Referring invention,` in its present embodiment comyprises a brake drum D of conventional form p sition, Yand allowblockin and atl e same time causing the inner ends specifically to the drawings nay.

adapted to be sustained upon the axle housin H as shown in Fi s. 1 and 2, and containing brake shoes and S which are supported at one of their ends for outward swinging movement to engage the inner periphery of the vdrum while at their opposite end a cam K is interposed and mounted for rotational movement to force the shoes into en agement with the drum for securing the rakin action.

Each shoe or S is made from a single strip of suitable metal bent upon itself at a point medially of its ends to provide a terminal portion 15 whichis enlarged transversely to form a bearing surface for the cam K. vAs illustrated to advantage in Fig. 3, the opposite end of the brake shoe terminates in an extension 16 recessed at its inner edge asindicated at 17 andhaving a cut awa portion 18 for accommodating the extension of the other brake shoe so thatportions of the extensions are disposed in overlapped relation to each other. The free transverse edges of the lextensions 16 are disposed diagonally of the periphery of the shoeand at intersecting angles with relation to each other to form convergingv walls or surfacesa ainst which a cam C of conical form is a apted to bear.

" For loosely retaining the adjustable ends the housing with `its parallel portions provided .with suitable openings for loosely receiving the ends of the brake shoes, The

recesses 17 are provided for the purpose of the yoke to the brake shoe ends of the` yoke to lie -ush with'the inner edge of the -brake shoes so that the shoes of the yoke can be readily accommodated` Withini eo the drum. It is to be understood that theA v openiiis of the arallel portions of the yoke ciently on f to allow of lthe ready oes with the yoke.

are S association of the The yoke is 'secured to the axle housing H by an adjusting screw A which'extends through and threadedly engages the axle housing as well as the intermediate portion of the yoke Y. This screw A, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, carries at its inner end the conical carn C, While its outer end is provided with a rectangular head 19 to which a wrench or other suitable tool is `adapted tobe applied for effecting rotation of the screw in feeding thepcam C inwardly or outwardly within the yoke.' .A nut 20 is mounted on the screw for adjustment with the housing in locking the screw in any adjusted position. Springs G and G are associated with the ends of the shoes S and S for normally urging the shoes to contracted position within the drum. The spring G spans the inner side of the yoke Y with its terminals connected to the adjacent end portions of the shoes S and S. The spring G is associated with the terminals 15 of the shoes S and S', all in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 2.

In the operation of the brake, the cam K is adapted to be `rotated for forcing the brake shoes into engagement with the drum, and when the brake bands carried by the shoes become worn to the extent that the shoes fail to engage the brake drum with sufiicient force to obtain the necessary braking action, the shoes can be adjusted at their pivoted end by an inward feeding of the cam C through a manipulation ofthe screw A. The arrangement of the cam C is such as to engage the diagonal or converging edges of the extensions 16 in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 3 so that as the cam is moved inwardly it bears against these -converging edges thereby spreading the ends of the shoes against the tension of the spring G.

By virtue of the fact that the extensions 16 are arranged in overlapped relation with respect to each other, the cam ,C is capable of movement along the entire lengthof the converging edges so that a greater degree of adjustment of the shoes is rendered possible than with similar adjusting lmeans heretofore proposed. And it is to be particulalgly noted that the entire length of the cam engages the converging edges at all times and irrespective of this posltion with respect to such edges, thereby providing the necessary bearing surface to effect the proper expansion of the brake shoes.

What I claim is:

1. In mbination, a brake drum, brake shoes within the drum'having pivoted ends reversely tapered and arranged in overlapped relatlon to each other, means associated with the overlap ed ends for eecting expansion of said s oes, `and means at the opposite ends ofthe shoes for forcing the same into engagement with the brake drum.

2. In a brake, a pair Aof shoes having extensions formed on oneof their ends which yare disposed in overlapped relation I expanding the shoes, and means at the op-.

posite end of the shoes for forcing the same into engagement with the drum.

4.v In combination, a drum, brake shoes having one of their ends movably sustained on said drum, said ends having converging edges recessed to permit of said edges being extended the full width of said ends, a conicall cam screw-threadedly sustained on the frame and engageable with said edges for expanding the shoes, and means at the opposite end of the shoes for forcing the same into engagement with the drum.

5. A shoe for brakes comprising a single length of metal bent upon itself to provide at one end an enlarged. bearing surface, and formed at its opposite end with an extension having a transverse edge disposed diagonally of the shoe, and recessed at one side for the purpose described.

6. In a brake, a pair of shoes having extensions formed on one of their ends which are disposed in overlapped relation to each other and provided with converging edges,

a yoke adapted to slidably receive the ex-V tensions, said extensions being recessed to provide means by which the yoke can be locked to the extensions, and means carried by the yoke and engageable with the convlelxrgingv edges for effecting expansion. of the s oes,

7. In combination, a brake drum, brake shoes within the drum, a yoke sustained on the frame and slidably receiving one of the ends of said shoes, extensions formed on said ends of said shoes having converging transverse edges disposed in overlapping relation to each other, a screw-threaded member extending through the yoke and threadedly engaging the same, a conical cam formed on the end of the member and engaging said converging ed s whereby upon inward feeding of the mem r said cam will be caused to spread the extensions'thereby effecting an expansion of said shoes, and means at the opposite end of the shoes for orcing the shoes into engagement with the rum.

8. A brake shoe having one end thereofI formed with an extension, slid shoe being of a reduced thickness at its free end to extension of a similar shoe, the transverse other and provided with converging edges, edge of the extension being disposed disaid ends being reduced in thickness so that agonally of the shoe for the purpose dethe converging edges are disposed in the scribed. same plane. e 5 v 9. In a brake, a pair of shoes having ex- In testimony whereof 'I have signed my tensions formed on one of their ends which name to this specification. are disposed in overlapped relation to each HENRY W. MUHLEISEN. 

